Improving the establishment submodel of a forest patch model to assess the long-term protective effect of mountain forests

Simulation models such as forest patch models can be used to forecast the development of forest structural attributes over time. However, predictions of such models with respect to the impact of forest dynamics on the long-term protective effect of mountain forests may be of limited accuracy where tree regeneration is simulated with little detail. For this reason, we improved the establishment submodel of the ForClim forest patch model by implementing a more detailed representation of tree regeneration. Our refined submodel included canopy shading and ungulate browsing, two important constraints to sapling growth in mountain forests. To compare the old and the new establishment submodel of ForClim, we simulated the successional dynamics of the Stotzigwald protection forest in the Swiss Alps over a 60-year period. This forest provides protection for an important traffic route, but currently contains an alarmingly low density of tree regeneration. The comparison yielded a significantly longer regeneration period for the new model version, bringing the simulations into closer agreement with the known slow stand dynamics of mountain forests. In addition, the new model version was applied to forecast the future ability of the Stotzigwald forest to buffer the valley below from rockfall disturbance. Two scenarios were simulated: (1) canopy shading but no browsing impact, and (2) canopy shading and high browsing impact. The simulated stand structures were then compared to stand structure targets for rockfall protection, in order to assess their long-term protective effects. Under both scenarios, the initial sparse level of tree regeneration affected the long-term protective effect of the forest, which considerably declined during the first 40 years. In the complete absence of browsing, the density of small trees increased slightly after 60 years, raising hope for an eventual recovery of the protective effect. In the scenario that included browsing, however, the density of small trees remained at very low levels. With our improved establishment submodel, we provide an enhanced tool for studying the impacts of structural dynamics on the long-term protective effect of mountain forests. For certain purposes, it is important that predictive models of forest dynamics adequately represent critical processes for tree regeneration, such as sapling responses to low light levels and high browsing pressure.     

中国局部地区草坪立枯丝核菌的rDNA ITS序列分析

为了鉴定草坪褐斑立枯丝核病菌的融合群类型并探讨其系统发育关系,本研究对11株分离自草坪草和4株分离自土壤的立枯丝核菌（Rhizoctonia solani）进行了rDNA-ITS测序,结合GenBank中登录的立枯丝核菌14融合群或亚群的代表性菌株及禾谷丝核菌（R. cerealis）、玉蜀黍丝核菌（R. zeae）和水稻丝核菌（R. oryzae）3个近缘种,共45条ITS序列进行了分析,利用MEGA 4.1软件建立ITS聚类分析树状图。结果表明,立枯丝核菌各融合群代表菌株及所有供试菌株聚为一组;该组又可细分为14个遗传聚亚类,隶属同一融合群的代表菌株聚在同一亚组,供试15株立枯丝核菌归入AG2-2和AG1-IA两个融合群。这些结果为该病害的科学防控提供了可靠依据,并进一步验证了ITS序列分析法是区分立枯丝核菌不同融合群或亚融合群菌株的有力工具。     

Estimation and Analysis of Green Land Variation Based on Similarity Theory

The similarity theory was systematically introduced,by combining the theory and the analytic hierarchy process(AHP),and taking the dynamic changes of two-stage green land patches in Shenzhen as an example,the patches similarity of each district and each green land type were estimated.The location,shape and areas of green land unit were used as the similarity elements.Then the similarity coefficients can be defined.The overlapping number of green land patches indicated the location variation of green land.The ratio of minimum and maximum shape index of green land indicated the shape variation of green land.With the same method,the areas variation coefficient was also obtained.The results shows that based on similarity theory and method the estimation of green land variation is feasible,which can provide effective methods and accordance for the further assessment of green land development in Shenzhen Special Economic Zone.     

Repellency of aerosol and cream products containing fennel oil to mosquitoes under laboratory and field conditions

The repellency of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Miller)-containing products (5% aerosol and 8% cream) against mosquitoes was compared with those of citronella oil, geranium oil and deet, as well as three commercial repellents, Baby Keeper cream containing IR3535, MeiMei cream containing citronella and geranium oils, and Repellan S aerosol containing 19% N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (deet) under laboratory and field conditions. In a laboratory study with female Aedes aegypti (L), fennel oil exhibited good repellency in a release-in-cage test and repellency in skin and patch tests of the oil was comparable with those of citronella and geranium oils. In paddy field tests with five human volunteers, 5% and 8% fennel oil-containing aerosol and cream produced 84% and 70% repellency, respectively, at 90 min after exposure, whereas Baby Keeper cream and MeiMei cream gave 71% and 57% repellency at 90 min after exposure, respectively, and Repellan S aerosol gave 89% repellency at 210 min. The species and ratio of mosquitoes collected were the genera Culex (44.1%), Anopheles (42.2%), Aedes (7.8%) and Armigeres (5.9%). Fennel oil-containing products could be useful for protection from humans and domestic animals from vector-borne diseases and nuisance caused by mosquitoes.     

Patch spraying: future role of electronics in limiting pesticide use

Developments relating to the control of application equipment can deliver improvements in pesticide use by better matching applications to target requirements. This may have components relating to the spatial distribution of a weed, pest or disease or methods by which the target, particularly a crop canopy, can be described with respect to a given application. Changes in application can relate to the dose and/or volume applied, but may also concern the way in which a treatment is delivered in terms of parameters such as spray trajectory angle and droplet size distribution. For many weed species there is evidence of patchy distributions in field situations. Studies have shown that savings of typically up to 40% in herbicide use can be achieved by adopting patch spraying approaches in such situations. Weed patch detection is key to the performance of such patch spraying systems. In widely spaced rowcrops such as vegetables, there is considerable scope for developing fully automated detection systems based on image analysis, and for the development of accurate guidance systems that apply pesticides only to the crop row. In crops with a relatively high plant density, weed detection in the medium/short term is likely to be based on manual discrimination. The costs of labour for manual weed patch mapping have been estimated at less than 1.50 ha(-1) pounds sterling. Potential savings in pesticide use can also be made if applications are matched to crop canopy structure. This is most important in bush and tree crops where savings of up to 75% in pesticide use could be achieved. In crops such as cereals, studies have shown that savings in fungicide use may be possible, particularly at earlier stages of growth by adjusting spray delivery to measured canopy characteristics. Key components of the performance of application systems concern the ability to deliver over a dose rate range of more than 3:1 while maintaining control of variables such as delivery trajectory angle and spray quality. Traceability and the effective monitoring of applications is likely to be a major driver influencing the uptake of more sophisticated control systems. Methods of labelling pesticides with systems that can be read by the application unit will be an important step in the development of recording and data handling systems that will operate safely with the minimum of operator input and enable the environmental advantages of targeted pesticide application to be monitored.     

Interpatch movements in spatially structured populations: a literature review

We used published data of individuals moving among habitat patches to answer questions pertaining to frequency of interpatch movements and subsequent effects on population dynamics. A review of 415 published articles produced data for 89 species-system combinations where movements were recorded in sufficient detail to include in our analysis. The percentage of individuals in a population that moved among habitat patches ranged from 0.00 to 93.00%, with a mean of 16.84%. Scaling this statistic by generation time yielded a mean movement rate of 15.45 ± 3.27% per generation. The relatively low movement rates suggest that subpopulations, except those of invertebrates, should not be highly integrated. Less than half of the empirical studies reported on the population effects of interpatch movement. Of these, thirty-three studies yielded population effects on 34 individual species in 45 species-systems. They reported movement having a positive effect 28 times, a negative effect twice and a neutral effect 14 times. Despite its importance, relatively few studies document rates of interpatch movement and far fewer determine population level consequences of these movements. This deficiency limits our ability to understand the dynamics of spatially structured populations and apply that knowledge to conservation efforts.This revised version was published online in May 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

植被均匀度与高原鼠兔种群数量相关性研究

通过在高原鼠兔不同密度区对植被地上生物量、盖度、高度三项指标分布均匀度的测定与分析,对高原鼠兔种群密度与植被均匀度间的关系进行了研究。结果表明,凡高原鼠兔分布地,植被三项指标均表现为不均匀性分布,在一定范围内,鼠群密度随植被均匀度的下降而增加,两者间存在极显著线性相关关系。植被的斑块状极度破坏是诱使高原鼠兔迁入的重要因素,尤以斑块状裸地的诱迁作用为甚。     

植物病害病斑形状的分形研究

应用分形理论中的周长面积法和曲线长度法分析了水稻纹枯病、玉米大斑病、玉米小斑病和桃细菌性穿孔病4种病害病斑形状的分形维数。结果表明 ,病斑形状具有明显的分形特征 ,其复杂性可以用分形维数的大小来表示 ,形状愈复杂 ,分形维数愈大 ,反之则愈小。周长面积法所得的分形维数分别是水稻纹枯病1.3385 ,玉米大斑病1.3799,玉米小斑病1.1633,桃细菌性穿孔病1.0470。曲线长度法所得的分形维数依次为水稻纹枯病1.3084,玉米大斑病1.2919,玉米小斑病1.0223,桃细菌性穿孔病1.0561。同一种病害中不同病斑之间分形维数变化范围表明了单个病斑之间形状差异。两种方法均可用于单个病斑或一类病斑分形维数的测算 ,但以周长面积法更好     

北京地区早熟禾褐斑病菌生物学特性及防治研究

对北京地区早熟禾褐斑病分离到的立枯丝核菌(Rhizoctonia solaniKuhn)进行了7个温度(12,16,20,24,28,32,36℃)、两种光照条件(全黑暗和12 h光暗交替)下的菌丝生长速率测定、菌核产生量比较,温度对发病的影响,10种杀菌剂的抑菌试验和几种杀菌剂的田间药效试验。菌丝生长的适宜温度范围为24~32℃;12 h光/暗交替条件下,菌丝生长速率加快;32℃下菌核产生量显著多于其他温度;20~30℃下早熟禾发病严重。多菌灵、扑海因、坪安1号和多氧霉素等杀菌剂的抑菌效果好。田间药效试验表明,扑海因、井岗霉素、坪安1号和多菌灵对褐斑病有良好的防治作用。     

High concentrations of blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) larvae along the offshore edge of a coastal current: effects of convergent circulation

Using a combination of observations and numerical modeling, we examined the distribution of blue crab ( Callinectes sapidus ) larvae along the edge of the buoyant plume emanating from the mouth of Delaware Bay along the east coast of the USA. Our observations consisted of larval sampling and hydrographic measurements taken along a series of transects that spanned the plume, the plume edge, and the coastal ocean. The numerical model is a realistic circulation model of Delaware Bay and the adjoining coastal ocean that includes daily wind forcing, daily river discharge, and tides. We tested the hypothesis that the offshore edges of coastal currents are regions of convergence and retention for larvae of estuary dependent species. Collected data showed a marked difference between the distribution of early and late stage larvae. Patches of early stage larvae occurred within lower salinities typical of the estuarine plume and higher salinities associated with the offshore edge of the plume. Late-stage larvae occurred almost entirely in salinities characteristic of the offshore edge. The field study was followed by a modeling component that simulated larval distributions over the spawning season of 2005. Output from the model showed simulated larval distributions that were similar to the observations. This study provides new insight into the distribution of larvae and larval patches in Delaware Bay and any region with extensive buoyancy and tidally driven flow. Results indicate that larvae tend to congregate along the edges of plumes emanating from estuaries due solely to physical mechanisms, regardless of the initial spawning location.